The Hindu God Ganesh - Who is this Elephant Headed Deity Anyway? - Kashgar Tribal Artifacts - Life for the Modern Nomad | Handmade Jewellery, ethnic handicrafts, antique furniture The Hindu God Ganesh - Who is this Elephant Headed Deity Anyway? Added over 9 years ago Ganesh is one of the best known and loved deities in the Hindu pantheon of gods, and indeed is the most recognized of the Hindu gods outside of India. But who is this elephant headed fellow, and why is he so popular? Ganesh (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesha and known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar) is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides prosperity, fortune and success. He is the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles of both material and spiritual kinds. Interestingly, he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. Because of these attributes, Ganesh is widely revered by almost all castes and in all parts of India, regardless of any other spiritual affiliations. His image is found everywhere, in many different forms, and he is invoked before the undertaking of any task.

Ganesh is also associated with the first Chakra, or energy wheel, which underpins all of the other Chakras and represents conservation, survival and material well-being. He is considered to be a patron of the arts and sciences and of letters. Devotees believe that if Ganesha is worshiped, he grants success, prosperity and protection against adversity. In a lesser known role, Ganesh is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. The attributes and characteristics of Ganesh have evolved over many centuries of Indian history. Several of the sacred Hindu texts relate myths and anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and help to explain his distinct iconography. He is popularly held to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, although the Puranas (ancient Hindu and Jain texts narrating the history of the Universe and describing Hindu cosmology, philosophy and geography) disagree about his birth, stating that he may have been created by Shiva, or by Parvati, or by Shiva and Parvati, or may simply have been discovered by Shiva and Parvati.

It is a little known fact outside of India that Ganesh has a brother Skanda , who is worshiped particularly in southern India as the embodiment of grace, bravery and love of virtuous deeds. Iconic representations of Ganesh show considerable variation, his form changing over time from that of a simple elephant in earliest depictions to the Ganesh we know today, typically having the head of an elephant and a large rotund belly. He is generally shown with four arms, although the number may vary from two to sixteen. When in the four-armed configuration he usually holds his own broken tusk in his lower-right hand and a laddoo sweet in his lower-left hand which he tastes with his trunk. An axe or goad is held in the right upper hand and a noose is held in the left upper hand. In a modern variation, the lower-right hand does not hold the broken tusk but is turned toward the viewer in a gesture of protection and fearlessness (the abhaya mudra).

Each item carries it's own important spiritual significance and they (and the number of arms used to carry them) may vary to include a water lily, mace, discus, rosary, bowl of sweets, musical instrument, spear or staff, depending on the specific symbology intended by the artist. Ganesh may be portrayed as standing, seated, dancing , crawling as a child (with his favourite laddoo sweet in one hand), or even seated on his mother's knee. When seated, he may be crossed legged or with one leg tucked under him in the position known as "royal ease". His mount or vehicle is usually the humble mouse, often shown at his feet looking adoringly up at him and holding his laddoo sweet in his paws. The combination of elephant and mouse represents the removal of all obsticals of any size and the ability of Ganesh to control even the most unpredicatable of creatures and situations. There exist a large number of legends, myths and stories relating to Ganesh and his appearance, all reflecting the wealth of symbolism that attends him. The most famous is how he came to have an elephant's head.

It is said that the goddess Parvati, wishing to bathe, created a boy and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When her husband Shiva returned from one his interminable battles, he was denied access by Ganesh and killed the boy in a fit of petulant rage, striking his head off with his sword. Parvati was understandably upset and so to soothe her, Shiva sent out his warriors to fetch the head of the first dead creature they found, which happened to be that of an elephant. The head was attached to the body of the boy and he was brought back to life. The elephant's head symbolizes unmatched wisdom and the gaining of knowledge through reflection and listening. And because of his role as his mother's doorkeeper, he is often placed facing doorways to keep out the unworthy. Some of the stories surrounding Ganesh are confliciting in nature, for example how his tusk came to be broken. One popular story is that he broke it off himself in order to write down the Mahabharata , one of the world's longest epic poems, as it was dictated to him by the sage Vyasa.

In the process of writing, Ganesh's pen failed and so he snapped off his tusk as a replacement in order that the transcription not be interrupted. The broken tusk therefore symbolises sacrifice and reiterates Ganesh's role as patron of the arts and of letters. However, another version of the broken-tusk story emphasises Ganesh's loyalty and devotion. In this account, his father Shiva decided to take a nap and asked Ganesh to guard him. A proud Brahmin warrior named Parashuram came to visit Shiva but was stopped from waking him by Ganesh. Parashuram was furious and fought with him, finally throwing his ax at his head. Ganesh stopped the ax with his tusk which broke, giving him the nickname Eka-danta, or "One Toothed." Another common icon associated with Ganesh is that of the snake. According to one Purana, Ganesha simply wrapped the serpent king Vasuki around his neck. Ganesh may also be portrayed using the snake as a sacred thread, aloft in both hands, coiled at his ankles or as a throne. However the best known story of all concerns Ganesh wrapping the snake around his stomach as a belt.

According to the legend, on one of his birthdays, Ganesh went from house to house accepting offerings of sweet puddings. Out on the road his mount the mouse stumbled, having seen a snake and become frightened, with the result that Ganesh tumbled off. His stomach burst open and all the sweet puddings fell out. Unwilling to leave them on the ground for all to see, Ganesh stuffed them back into his stomach and, catching hold of the snake, tied it around his belly. Seeing this, the moon in the sky had a hearty laugh at his expense. Annoyed, Ganesh pulled off one of his tusks and hurled it at the moon. Once again, the symbology behind the mouse, snake, Ganesh's belly and its relationship to the moon on his birthday is highly significant, his belly representing as it does the entire cosmos which is held together by the cosmic energy of the snake kundalini. With the association of benevloence, intelligence and strength that comes with his elephant countenance and the delightful stories that surround his creation, it is easy to understand why Ganesh is revered so highy in his homeland. But why is he also loved throughout the world?

From the 10th century onwards Ganesh became the principal deity of the traders and merchants who went out of India seeking commercial trade. In later centuries many Hindus migrated to other countries and took their culture, including Ganesh, with them. Buddhism has a particular affinity for Ganesh, representing as he does the kindest of principals associated with personal sucess. And since the 20th Century, Ganesh has become a favourite mascot of Western countries, partially because of the westerner's love of elephants but also because of the rewards Ganesh promises when present to oversee daily affairs. Ganesh has even made appearances on the iconic television show The Simpsons - on one particularly memorable occasion Homer tries to offer him a peanut and is admonished by Apu for his irreverence. Ganesh is also often associated with the goddess of luck and prosperity, Lakshmi, and the two form a typical motif on many protective Indian amulets, providing a double whammy to the wearer in the form of success and wealth married together.

Hindu God Ganesha, the Remover Obstacles Click here to Play Video Lord Ganesh - The Remover of Obstacles "In heaven, Lord Ganesh will establish the predominance of gods, on earth, that of people, in the nether world, that of serpents and anti-gods" ~ A Hymn from Sri Bhagavat-Tathva ~ The chubby, gentle, wise, elephant-headed Ganesh, or Ganesha, is one of Hinduisms most popular deities. Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, the deity whom worshipers first acknowledge when they visit a temple. Statues of Ganesh can be found in most Indian towns. His image is placed where new houses are to be built; he is honored at the start of a journey or business venture, and poets traditionally invoke him at the start of a book. Ganesh is also patron of letters and of learning; he is the legendary scribe who, using his commonly held broken tusk, wrote down parts of the Mahabharata Epic .

Ganesh is usually depicted colored red; he is pot bellied, has one tusk broken, and has four arms that may hold a pasam, a goad, and a pot of rice, or sweetmeats. The sweet meats are held in a type of bowl known as a laddus. His appetite for these sweets is legendary and offerings of them are often left at his shrine. A pasam or noose is a triple twine weapon. Each of the three twines represent: 1. Arrogance and conceit, 2. Maya - the illusory nature of the real world, and 3. Ignorance. Goads (or elephant prods) are typically used to direct elephants. Goads are symbolic of how one should steer the soul away from the ignorance and illusions of this earthly world just as a mahout would steer an elephant away from any treacherous path. In Hindu ideology weapons are a viewed as symbolic tools to destroy the ego rather than to cause any type of bloodshed. Ganesh's characteristic pot belly is usually bound around with a cobra. The cobra is an animal usually associated with Shiva , a reminder that Ganesh is his son.

"Ganesh affirms life by celebrating in it's pleasures and beauty." Click here to view all our joyous Ganesh Statues Ganesh is usually shown in sculpture accompanied by or riding a rat. Since rats are seen as being capable of gnawing their way through most things, the rat symbolizes Ganesh's ability to destroy every obstacle. Ganesh's name literally means "Lord of Gana." Ganesh was entrusted by Shiva with the leadership of the Ganas, Shiva's dwarfish, rowdy retinue, in compensation for the loss of his human head. In sculpture the position of Lord Ganesh's trunk has a symbolic meaning. If the trunk turns to the Ganesh's left, that is the direction for success in the world. It is a position associated with grihastas, or householders. To his right, the trunk represents moksha, good for renouncing the world. When one chooses a Ganesh sculpture that is proper for their own spiritual path the trunk position is one thing that is good to keep in mind. Ganesh is often displayed playing a musical instrument. Much like Krishna , Ganesh affirms life by celebrating in it's pleasures and beauty.

How Ganesh came to have the head of an elephant is explained in various stories. One account of his birth is that Parvati formed him from the rubbings of her body so that he might stand guard at the door while she bathed. When Shiva approached, unaware this was his son, he was enraged at being kept away from his wife and proceeded to lop off the head of Ganesh. To ease Parvati's grief, Shiva promised to cut off the head of the first living thing he saw and attach it to the body. That creature was an elephant. Ganesh was thus restored to life and rewarded for his courage by being made lord of new beginnings and guardian of entrances. A prayer to Ganesh is invariably accompanied by smashing a coconut, symbolic of smashing the undesirable forces inherent in oneself. Ganesha: Lord of Success (The Hindu Elephant-Deity) By Subhamoy Das Updated October 20, 2016. Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses.

The Lord of Success The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshiped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja. Significance of the Ganesha Form Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om , the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand, Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.

The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata . The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse. How Ganesha Got His Head The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north.

The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. However, there's another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to appease Vishnu in order to have a son. When a son was born to her, all the gods and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati's insistence when Shani eyed the baby, the child's head was severed instantly.

All the gods started to bemoan, whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby's body, thus reviving it. Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief," says D N Singh in A Study of Hinduism. "He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus." Ganesh Chaturthi The devotees of Ganesha are known as "Ganapatyas," and the festival to celebrate and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi .

Ganesha (Hindu God) Affiliations: The Man-Elephant (possibly) Enemies: The Rakshasas (demonic enemies of the Hindu Gods) Known Relatives: Shiva (father), Parvati (mother), Skanda (brother, alias Kartikeya), Kâli (sister), Siddhi, Buddhi (wives), Ksema, Labha (sons), Dharma, Padma, Vach, Daksha, Kama (cousins), Lakshmi, Sarasvati (aunts), Vishnu , Brahma (uncles), Visvarupa (father-in-law), Himavat (grandfather), Gaea (grandmother, alias Ammavaru) Aliases: Ganapati, Gajendra, The Great Ganeesh, Elephant-God Base of Operations: Kailasa in the dimension of Nirvana First Appearance: She-Hulk II#25 (March, 2008) Powers/Abilities: Ganesha possesses the conventional physical attributes of the Hindu gods, such as superhuman strength, superhuman stamina, endurance, resistance to injury and an enchanted longevity; he is not immortal like the gods of Olympus.

He also has certain undefined mystical skills. One of his gems united the Man-Elephant with his battle suit. Ganesha resembles a huge pink-skinned humanoid male with the head and tusks of an Indian Elephant (at least in one fresco). In Hindu Myth, Ganesha is an extremely wily yet beneficent deity who rides upon a giant rat. History: (Hindu Myth) - Ganehsa (Ganesha) is one of the Devas, an extra-dimensional race of beings worshipped as gods by the people of India. Descended from the old Adityas or Vedic gods, Ganehsa is one of the most important gods of the modern Hindu religion. Parvati had given birth to Ganesha to be a countenance against good and evil deeds and altered his appearance that he would be too handsome to marry or take a wife. However, because of her spell, Shiva could not recognize his son when the young god was guarding her bed chambers as she took a bath. Not realizing the young god was his son, Shiva ripped Ganesha's head off of his body as he cast him aside to be with Parvati.

Ganesha's death shocked Parvati and all the gods, but Shiva rectified the matter by promising to restore him to life with the life-force of the first living thing he found. His servants quickly discovered Airavata, the elephant-mount of Indra the thunder-god, and took it from him as penance for Indra's slaying of Vritra, one of the Naga-gods, allies to the Devas against the Rakshasas. Possibly as some required side effect of the spell, Ganesha began to resemble a elephant with the body of a man. (According to later myth, Shiva had simply just replaced Ganesha's head with that of the elephant.) Parvati was not satisfied with this accomplishment of repentance and wanted more. Shiva then granted Ganesha himself a boon and promised him that all Hindus on earth would acknowledge his existence before starting any task or undertaking. The wise elephant-god was soon called upon by all his worshippers for any mortal endeavor they started. Ganesha was the older brother of Skanda, the war god, and they decided to compete between themselves for wives.

They chose to race around the world to decide who was worthy to marry, and Skanda set off to race around the world. Ganehsa, however, proved much more the wily god in his brother's absence by circling his father, Shiva, who under Hindu religion represented the epitome of all creation. He debated the feat with his father by holding up the veracity of the Vedas and the Sastras, the two most holy tomes of the Hindu gods, and Shiva praised him for being clever and intelligent. Ganesha took the sisters, Siddhi and Buddhi, daughters of one of the Vedic gods, to be his wives, and they each granted him a son. (She-Hulk II#25) - Ganehsa was well worshipped among the Hindu gods for centuries and still has countless worshippers today. In the African city of Timbuktu, one of his priestesses encountered Manfred Ellsworth Haller, the former Man-Elephant. Haller's business had been dissolved through the actions of his competitor, Tony Stark, and he wandered to Africa with his old Man-Elephant armor as his last possession.

Seemingly impressed by his dedication to the elephant and maybe Ganesha, the blind priestess showed Haller the Seetorak emerald in the head of a fresco of Ganesha which began to glow. It's mystical energies made Haller's Man-Elephant battle suit real and a part of his body, transforming him into the Behemoth. Comments: Adapted by Peter David (writer), Adriana Melo (penciler), Mariah Benes (inks), Chris Sotomayer (colors) and Dave Sharp (letters). Ganesha also appeared in Wonder Woman II #149 (DC Comics). He also has a bio along with more detailed profiles of the other Hindu Gods at the Guide to the Mythological Universe website. It is unsure if the Seetorak gem is connected to the Cyttorak crystal of the Juggernaut. The possibility is there; the word "juggernaut" comes from Jagannath, a powerful half-brother of the Hindu hero Rama, one of the avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu. This is the only place I've read where "shri" is used for Ganesha/Ganehsa.

Shri is one of the names of Lakshmi, the love-goddess, and wife of Vishnu. The behemoth, along with the leviathan, was the name of a large unidentified creature identified from Africa before European invasion. It was first named in Job 40:15-24,41. Modern biologists believe it refers to the hippopotamus or elephant while leviathan refers to the whale or saltwater crocodile. Profile by WillU CLARIFICATIONS: Ganesha is not to be confused with: any other "ganesha" out there Images: She-Hulk II#25, page 35, middle panel Issues: She-Hulk II#25 (March 2008) - Peter David (writer), Adriana Melo (penciler), Mariah Benes (inks), Chris Sotomayer (colors) and Dave Sharp (letters) Last updated: 03/02/08 mythology - Why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant head? - Hinduism Stack Exchange Why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant head? up vote 8 down vote accepted There is a story behind the elephant head.

I would certainly write one but with some broken grammar so I preferred quoting it from Wikipedia . One day Goddess Parvati was at home on Mt.Kailash preparing for a bath. As she didn’t want to be disturbed, she told Nandi, her husband Shiva’s Bull, to guard the door and let no one pass. Nandi faithfully took his post, intending to carry out Parvati’s wishes. But, when Shiva came home and naturally wanted to come inside, Nandi had to let him pass, being loyal first to Shiva. Parvati was angry at this slight, but even more than this, at the fact that she had no one as loyal to Herself as Nandi was to Shiva. So, taking the turmeric paste (for bathing) from her body and breathing life into it, she created Ganesha, declaring him to be her own loyal son. The next time Parvati wished to bathe, she posted Ganesha on guard duty at the door. In due course, Shiva came home, only to find this strange boy telling him he couldn’t enter his own house! Furious, Shiva ordered his army to destroy the boy, but they all failed. This surprised Shiva.

Seeing that this was no ordinary boy, the usually peaceful Shiva decided he would have to fight him, and in his divine fury severed Ganesha’s head, killing him instantly. When Parvati learned of this, she was so enraged and insulted that she decided to destroy the entire Creation. Lord Brahma, being the Creator, naturally had his issues with this, and pleaded that she reconsider her drastic plan. She said she would, but only if two conditions were met: one, that Ganesha be brought back to life, and two, that he be forever worshipped before all the other gods. Shiva, having cooled down by this time, agreed to Parvati’s conditions. He sent Brahma out with orders to bring back the head of the first creature he crosses that is lying with its head facing North. Brahma soon returned with the head of a strong and powerful elephant, which Shiva placed onto Ganesha’s body. Breathing new life into him, he declared Ganesha to be his own son as well, and gave him the status of being foremost among the gods, and leader of all the ganas (classes of beings), Ganapati.

Also, not only Ganesha has an animal head, Hanuman is nothing but a monkey god. Same with Varaha which is an avatar of Lord Vishnu in a form of Boar. up vote 2 down vote There are several Puranic stories about Lord Ganesha and his elephant head. These stories are: Once Parvati, just for fun, prepared an image of a child with an elephant's head, out of the unguents smeared over her body and threw it into the river Ganga. It came to life. Both Ganga and Parvati addressed the boy as their child. Hence Lord Ganesha is known as Dvaimatura, 'one who has two mothers'; Parvati prepared the image of a child out of the scurf from her body, endowed him with life and ordered him to stand guard before her house. When Siva wanted to enter the house he was rudely prevented by Ganesha. Siva became Rudra and got him beheaded. Seeing that Parvati was inconsolable, Siva grafted an elephant's head on the body of the boy and gave him life.

Siva appointed this new-found son as the head of all his retinues, who thus became 'Ganapati'. He sprang from Siva's countenance which represents akashtattva (principle of ether). His captivating splendour made Parvati react angrily and curse him, resulting in the elephant head; and Ganesha was originally Krishna himself in the human form. When Sani, the malevolent planet spirit gazed at him, his head got separated and flew to Goloka. The head of an elephant was subsequently grafted on the body of the child. All these Puranic stories are taken from the book 'Hindu Gods and Goddesses' by Swami Harshananda. Swami Harshananda of the Ramakrishna Order is an Advaitist and does not take the Puranic stories seriously. The learned Swami gives several views regarding the meaning of the elephant head. First he points out that Ganapati had gained de facto recognition in the hearts of millions of votaries over several centuries long before the Puranas were written. Several Puranic stories reflect the struggle by various Puranic authors to give de jure recognition to Ganapati!

He gives the following possible meanings of the elephant head: 'Gana' means category. Everything that we perceive through our senses or grasp through our mind can be expressed in terms of category. The principle from which all such categories have manifested themselves is Ganapati, the Lord of categories. In effect, it means the origin of the whole creation, God Himself; A common Sanskrit word to denote elephant is 'Gaja'. Hence the name Gajanana or Gajamukha (elephant-faced) for Ganapati. But the word 'Gaja' has a deeper connotation. 'Ga' indicates 'Gati', the final goal towards which the entire creation is moving. 'Ja' stands for 'Janma' or birth or origin. Hence 'Gaja' signifies God from whom the worlds have come out and towards whom they are progressing, to be ultimately dissolved in Him. The elephant head is thus purely symbolical and points to this truth; A factor we observe in creation is its two-fold manifestation as the microcosm (Suksmanda) and macrocosm (Brahmanda). Each is a replica of the other. They are one in two and two in one.

The elephant head stands for the macrocosm and the human body for the microcosm. The two form one unit. Since the macrocosm is the goal of microcosm, the elephant part has been given greater prominence by making it the head. The elephant-human form of Ganapati is the iconographical representation of the great Vedantic dictum, 'tat-tvam-asi'(which means You the apparently limited individual are in essence the Cosmic Truth, the Absolute). The elephant stands for the cosmic whereas the human stands for the individual. REF: Hindu Gods and Goddesses by Swami Harshananda Ganesha - God Ganesha, Lord Ganesha, Hindu God Ganesha, Indian God Ganesha Ganesha Unique Attributes : Wisdom, prosperity, eradicator of obstacles. Parents : Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati Vahana (Vehicle) : Mouse Other Names : Ganpati, Ekdanta, Vighneshvara, Gajanan, Vinayak. Principal Scriptures : Ganesha Purana, Mudgala Purana, Ganapati Atharvashirsa.

Mula Mantra : Om Gan Ganpate Namah The elephant deity riding the mouse is the Hindu god Ganesha son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. In Hindu tradition all worship and auspicious tasks begin with the invocation of Lord Ganesha, which has earned him the epithet of Vighnesha. Ganapati is also revered as the eradicator of all obstacles and hence is called Vighneshvara. Ganesh has a huge pot bellied human figure with an elephant head and a curved trunk. His vehicle the mouse is quite a tiny creature in contrast to his imposing physical form. This portly lord is venerated as the god of wisdom (buddhi), success (riddhi) and spiritual power (siddhi). The Mula Mantra Om Gan Ganpataye Namah is always chanted by a believer when he is pleased or in trouble to thank or seek his blessings respectively. Lord Ganesha is also one of the five principal Hindu gods whose worship was popularized by Adi Shankaracharya; the other four gods are Shiva, Vishnu, Surya and goddess Durga.

Ganesha's physical form is denoted a deeper spiritual meaning in the Puranas and other ancient religious texts. Lord Ganesha's head signifies the 'atman' (soul) or the highest reality and his body represent 'maya' the principle of unique existence. Ganesha is also venerated by the Buddhists as Vinayak and by the Jains as a form of Lord Kuber. The term Ganesha literally means the lord of 'gana', hence the god is truly hailed as the almighty of the people or commoners. The festival associated with the Vighneshvara is 'Ganesha Chaturthi' which is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha and it is believed that the Lord himself comes down to earth to bless his believers. In Maharashtra it is the biggest festival of the state, celebrated for ten long days on a grand scale by people belonging to different faiths with a spirit which is unparalleled.

Ganesh Chaturthi : Origins and Meanings | Hindu Human Rights Online News Magazine Ganesh Chaturthi : Origins and Meanings HHR September 18, 2012 Spirituality/Culture 2 Comments on Ganesh Chaturthi : Origins and Meanings Ganesh Chaturthi or “Vinayak Chaturthi” is one of the major traditional festivals celebrated by the Hindu community. It is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). Typically the day falls sometime between August and September . The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi, and is traditionally celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. According to Hindu tradition, Lord Ganesha is the son of Shiva (The God of Destruction in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) and Parvati (Shiva’s consort).

The cutest and most lovable Indian God, Ganesha or Ganpati has the head of an elephant on which rests an elegant tiara, four podgy hands joined to a sizeable belly with each hand holding its own symbolic object – a trishul or a trident in one, an ankush or goad (made from his very own broken tooth) in another, a lotus in the third and a rosary (which is sometimes replaced by modaks, his favourite sweet) in the fourth. Revered as the deity of auspiciousness and wisdom, Lord Ganesha is also famous for being a trickster and for his profound sense of humour. It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born on a fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Magh. Since then, an association between Ganesh and chaturthi has been established. Thus the festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Ganesha on this chaturthi day is named as Ganesh Chaturthi. There is a curiously interesting tale about the birth of Ganesha.

It is believed that once while Parvati was bathing, she created a human figure from some unguent and balm, gave him life and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. After a long period of meditation on Mountain Kailash (Lord Shiva’s abode), Shiva chose that very moment to drop by to see his better half, but was abruptly stopped by the man-god Parvati had posted at the door. Outraged by the cheek of this stranger, Shiva cut off his head only to discover moments later that he had killed Parvati’s son! For fear of enraging his wife, Shiva immediately dispatched his ganas (attendants) to get him the head of the first living creature they could find. Well, the first living creature happened to be an elephant. As instructed, the head was chopped off and brought back to Shiva, who placed it on Parvati’s son’s body, bringing him back to life. This elephant-headed god was welcomed into the first family of the Hindu heavens and named Ganesha or Ganapati, which literally means the chief of the ganas, or the attendants of Shiva.

Ganesha is the foremost god of the Hindu pantheon. This brave guardian of the door to Parvati’s bath is beheld today as the most auspicious God of new beginnings. He is worshipped during every festival and before people undertake a journey or embark upon a new venture. You will also see him carefully guarding entrances to temples and homes, peeping out of calendars and happily gracing marriages and other such occasions. It is not known when and how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated. But according to the historian Shri Rajwade, the earliest Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations can be traced back to the times of the reigns of dynasties as Satavahana, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya. Historical records reveal that Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were initiated in Maharashtra by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism. And it had continued ever since. There are also references in history to similar celebrations during Peshwa times.It is believed that Lord Ganapati was the family deity of the Peshwas.

After the end of Peshwa rule, Ganesh Chaturthi remained a family affair in Maharashtra from the period of 1818 to 1892. 1857 was a landmark year for India and more so in the context of Indian freedom. It was the year of Sepoy Mutiny, an armed rebellion against the ruling British Empire by the Indian soldiers. This was the first war that India waged to gain back her independence from her white rulers. Though unsuccessful, this battle marked the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence. Many orators, leaders and freedom fighters all over India teamed to put up a united resistance to the British domination. One of these eminent leaders was Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter. Greatly esteemed by the Indian people, especially of Maharashtra, Tilak was commonly referred to as “Lokmanya” or “he who is regarded by the people”. It was Tilak, who brought back the tradition of Ganesh Chaturthi and reshaped the annual Ganesh festival from private family celebrations into a grand public event.

Lokamanya saw how Lord Ganesha was worshipped by the upper stratum as well as the rank and file of India. The visionary that he was, Tilak realized the cultural importance of this deity and popularised Ganesha Chaturthi as a National Festival “to bridge the gap between Hindus and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them” in his nationalistic strivings against the British in Maharashtra. He knew that India couldn’t fight her rulers until she solved the differences within her own. Hence, to unite all social classes Tilak chose Ganesha as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule because of his wide appeal as “the god for Everyman”. It was around 1893, during the nascent stages of Indian nationalism, that Tilak began to organize the Ganesh Utsav as a social and religious function. He was the first to put in large public images of Ganesha in pavilions and establish the tradition of their immersion on the tenth day. The festival facilitated community participation and involvement in the form of learned discourses, dance dramas, poetry recital, musical concerts, debates, etc.

It served as a meeting place for common people of all castes and communities, at a time when all social and political gatherings were forbidden by the British Empire for fear of conspiracies to be hatched against them. An important festival during the Peshwa era, Ganesha Chaturthi acquired at this time a more organized form all over India largely due to Lokmanya’s efforts. Since then, Ganesh Chaturthi has been celebrated throughout Maharashtra as also in other states with great community enthusiasm and participation. With the independence of India in 1947, it was proclaimed to be a national festival. Today, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and many other parts of India. The festival is so popular that the preparations begin months in advance. Days before the actual worship, homes are cleaned and marquees erected at street corners to house the deities of the Lord. Elaborate arrangements are made for lighting, decoration, mirrors and flowers. The artisans who make the idols of Ganesh vie with each other to make bigger and better sculptures. The sizes of the relatively larger ones range anywhere from 10 meters to 30 meters in height.

These are installed in marquees and in homes prior to the Puja (worship). During the festival days, the Lord is worshipped with great devotion and prayer services are performed daily. The duration of the Lord’s stay varies from place to place; once the worship is complete, the statues are carried on decorated floats to be immersed in the sea after one, three, five, seven and ten days. Thousands of processions converge on the beaches to immerse the holy idols in the sea. This procession and immersion is accompanied with dancing and the sound of exciting drum-beats, devotional songs and exploding firecrackers. As the deity is immersed amidst loud chants of “Ganesh Maharaj Ki Jai!” (Hail Lord Ganesh), the festival comes to an end with pleas to the Lord to return the next year with chants of “Ganpati bappa morya, pudcha varshi laukar ya” (Hail Lord Ganesh, return again soon next year).

Tourists from all over the world come to witness this wonderful event in the sun kissed beaches of Goa and Mumbai.While celebrated all over India, Ganesh Chaturthi festivities are most elaborate in states like Maharashtra, Goa (It is the biggest festival for Konkani people all over the world), Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and other areas which were former states of the Maratha Empire. Outside India, it is celebrated in Nepal by the Newars. In the 21st century, with the world turning fast into a global village, Ganesh Chaturthi is now celebrated all over the world, wherever there is a presence of a Hindu community. The sacred festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. ‘Ga’ symbolises Buddhi (intellect), ‘Na’ stands for Vijnana (wisdom). So, Ganapati is the master of Buddhi and Vijnana. The universe is sustained by Ganas (gods) and Ganapati is their master. In this world, everybody has a master, but Ganapati has none. He is a master by himself. This is the birthday of the Master of Masters.

Ganapati is also called Mooshika Vahana (one who has a mouse as his vehicle). You may wonder how a small mooshika can carry on its back a hefty personality like Vinayaka. Here mooshika does not mean a mere mouse. It symbolises the darkness of ignorance because it is in darkness that the mouse moves about. Hence, Mooshika Vahana is one who subdues ignorance and dispels darkness. It is only when we understand the inner significance of the Vinayaka principle that we will be able to celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi properly. People perform Vinayaka worship without actually understanding its significance. Vinayaka symbolises the qualities of a true leader in all aspects. “Viyate Nayake Iti Vinayaka” meaning, He is a master unto Himself. In this world Vinayaka is worshipped by many. However, Vinayaka does not worship anyone as He has no master above Him. Even Easwara, the father, worships His son Vinayaka, but it does not happen the other way. Vinayaka is also called Vighneswara (remover of obstacles).

No obstacle can come in the way of one who prays to Vinayaka. Worship of Vinayaka confers success in spiritual as well as worldly endeavours. God grants happiness at two levels, Pravritti (outward) and Nivritti (inward). Pravritti is related to physical body whereas Nivritti to intellect. The former undergoes change with the passage of time, whereas the latter remains unchanged. Hence, one should try to reduce body attachment with proper food and habits.” ..Sathya Sai Baba Ganesh: Hindu God Of Sccuess - The Buddha Garden Ganesh: Hindu God Of Sccuess Ganesh: Hindu God Of Sccuess Ganesh is the God of Success and Overcoming Obstacles, but is also associated with wisdom, learning, prudence, and power. As the god of success, the names of Lord Ganesh are chanted at the start of any important venture, and of course, during a Ganesh Pooja. As the remover of obstacles, he is invoked at the start of every journey, marriage, religious rite, house construction, the writing of a book or even a letter.

How Ganesh Was Born There are two legends about the birth of the Hindu God Ganesh and how he came to posses the head of an elephant. One story relates that his mother, Parvati, had to go for her bath when her husband, Shiva, was not at home. As Shiva had gone on a meditation retreat and was not expected to return, Parvati ordered Sri Ganesh to keep guard and not let anyone inside the room. But after a while Shiva arrived and when he tried to enter, the child refused to let him do so. This angered Shiva, who cut off the Ganesh's head. In order to make up for his mistake, Shiva promised Parvati that if she places the head of any person or thing which crosses her path early the next day, the Sri Ganesh would come back to life. The first person or thing that passed by them was the mighty elephant. Shiva cut off its head and placed it on the torso of the beheaded child. Another version says that Parvati was blessed with a beautiful son, and all the Gods assembled to see and admire the son of Shiva and Parvati.

They all gazed at the child except Shani, because he was under a curse, which caused any being he looked at to be burnt to ashes. Parvati insisted that Shani also look at and admired her son Ganesh. But no sooner had he done so than Ganesh's head was burnt to ashes. Parvati cursed Shani for having killed her son, but Brahma intervened, and comfortingly told her that if the first available head were planted on her son's shoulders, he would be alive again. So Vishnu set forth on Garuda and the first creature he found was an elephant sleeping beside a river. He cut off its head and this was fixed on Ganesh's body. The Qualities of Lord Ganesh According to legends Ganesh is a great scribe and learned in religious lore and scriptures. Hence, Ganesh is often depicted with only one tusk, since it is believed that he broke off the other so that he could inscribe the Mahabharata , a Hindu religious epic, which was dictated to Ganesh the seer Vyasa.

Because Ganesh is seen as the God of Opening Doors (and hence, the God of success), it is common for Hindus to make an offering to Lord Ganesh first before making an offering to their chosen deity. They do this to request Ganesh's help in ensuring that their subsequent offering will be successful. One thing to note is that while the name Ganesh is well known in the West, he is more often referred to as Ganapati in India. Ganesh Pictures and Images Lord Ganesha, Ganapati, Ganesh, Ganpati, Hindu God | Hinduism Facts | Facts about Hindu Religion Lord Ganesha or Ganapati Lord Ganapathi Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular Hindu deities. Ganapati literally means “Leader of Ganas.” The word Pati here is used as leader and not as husband, which is its other meaning. Ganas are the attendants of Lord Shiva. Not only Hindus but Jains, Buddhists, christians, and Parsis also worship Ganapati. He is worshiped not only in India but all over the world. The head of Lord Ganesha is that of an elephant and the body is that of a human.

That is why some people call him “Elephant God.” Lord Ganesha has four arms with having axe in one hand and a lotus flower in another hand. In the remaining two hands, he has a Modak in one hand and one hand is raised to bless the devotees. You would always find a mouse near the Lord Ganesha. Each and every Hindu ritual begins with worshiping Lord Ganapati first. He is also worshiped first at the start of any new project. This is because Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles and if you begin any work by worshiping him that work would be completed with minimum or no obstacles. Every Hindu temple has the image of Lord Ganesha at its entrance because he has been blessed to be worshiped first amongst all Hindu deities. At the entrance of all Hindu houses, you would find an image or an statue of Lord Ganesha. Generally, it is packed in the wall above the main door. Lord Ganesha is the master of 64 arts. Lord Ganapati is known as remover of obstacles and the God of Wisdom.

Idols of Lord Ganesha are found all over the world including India, Nepal, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. He is known by different names in different countries. Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The name of his elder brother is Kartikeya. Very little is known about Lord Ganapati’s sister. Her name is Aoksha (Not sure). Ganesha is depicted as having two wives, Riddhi and Siddhi. Mouse is the carrier of Lord Ganapathi. He travels from one place to other riding the mouse. Lord Ganesha likes Modak (a cone shaped food made up of wheat, sugar, coconut), the flower of Jaswand (Hibiscus), Durva (Three headed grass), and lotus very much. Vinayak, Gajanan, Ganesh, Ganapati are other popular names of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganapathy killed many demons and freed the earth and mankind from their tortures.

Sankashta Chaturthi, Angarak Chaturthi, and Vinayak Chaturthi are the holy days of Lord Ganesha. Hindus observe fast on these days and visit Ganesh temples nearby. They offer him coconuts, Durva, red-colored flower like Jaswand or Rose. One should offer red flower to Lord Ganapathi if he/she is in any kind of peril. Lord Ganesha saves that person from the peril. Besides those monthly holy days, Ganesh festival is celebrated in the month of Bhadrapad every year during which people bring the clay idols of Lord Ganesha to their home and worship him for one and a half, five, or ten days. After that, the idol of Lord Ganesha is immersed in the the water.

Lord Ganesha Mool Mantra: ओम गणपतये नमः| Lord Ganesha Mantra to be recited before beginning of any work: Vakratund Mahakay Suryakoti Samaprabhah Nirvighnam Kurumedevah Sarvakaryeshu Sarvada (This mantra is chanted before the start of every ceremony, Puja, or Arati) वक्रतुंड महाकाय सुर्यकोटि समप्रभ: निर्विघ्नं कुरु में देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा:|| Related Articles: BBC - Religions - Hinduism: Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi Last updated 2009-09-30 Article describing some of the Hindu traditions associated with celebrating the birthday of Lord Ganesh Chaturthi. On this page On this day Hindus all over the world celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesh (Ganesh Chaturthi).

Lord Ganapati (Ganesh) © Ganesh is also known by the names Ganapati, Ekadanta, Vinayaka, Pillaiyar and Heramba. Irrespective of what Hindu tradition, he is still one of the most popular deities for worship. Ganesh is depicted with an elephant's head on a human body and in the Hindu tradition he is the son of Lord Siva and the Goddess Parvati. He is known as the Remover of Obstacles and is prayed to particularly when people are beginning a new enterprise or starting a new business. Ganesh is also known as the patron god of travelling. In places such as Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (in India), the festival is celebrated for ten days and is a joyous event and regarded as a public occasion. In other places it is simply celebrated at home and hymns are sung and offerings made to Ganesh. Sweets are also distributed because in Hindu legend Ganesh liked them.

Question: The Hindu god Ganesh(a) or Ganapati has the head of which creature?
Answer: Elephant